Machine for making seamless lead-covered electrical conductors



- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. L. KI'TSON.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SEAMLESS LEAD GOVBRED ELECTRICAL GONDUGTORS.

No. 364,177. Patented May31, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet G. L. KITSON. MACHINE FOR MAKING SEAMLESS LEAD COVERED ELEGTRIGAL GONDUGTORS.

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WTTORNEY V N. PETERS. PhuIQJJXhQgrJpher, Washington D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEO GEORGE L. KITSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DI- RECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE KITSON ELECTRIC COMPANY,

OF GAMDEN, NEV JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SEAMLESS LEAD-COVERED ELECTRlCAL CONDUCTORS.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,177, dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed December 21, 1886. Serial No. 222,185. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. KITSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Seamless Lead- Covered Electrical Obnductors or Cables, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine formaking lead-covered electric conductors or cables embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of parts of the same, showing slight modifications of construction.

My invention has relation to machines for making seamless leadcovered electric. conductors or cables having suitable insulation between the wire and its lead covering; and it has for its object to so construct the machine that the operation of casting the seamless lead covering upon the conductor is continuous and rapid; and, further, forimproving the dctail parts of themachine, whereby it is made more effective and durable.

My invention accordingly consists of the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, A represents the framework of the machine, which is preferably vertical, and affords a support for a mold or die, 13, a melting pot or vessel, C, burners D for said die and pot, and aguide-rod, E, for leading the conductorF to die B, the conductor being covered with suitable fibrous or other insulation, as desired.

The guide-rod E is suitably supported in the ends of a water-jacket, e, which is secured to frame A. The water for jacket 0 is supplied from a tank, 6, or other source of supply, by a pipe, 0', connecting with the jacket at or near its bottom, as shown, and it has at or near its top an overflow or outlet pipe, 0, so that by regulating cock 0 in pipe 0 a flow of water through jacket 0 from below upwardly is provided to keep the guide-rod E cool and prevent it eharring or otherwise impairing the insulation on the conductor drawn through the same.

The die or mold B is more plainly shown upper end a mouth or chamfered edge, I), a short straight bore, I), and a tapered bore, b", the latter gradually increasing in diameter from the straight bore b to the bottom of mold B, as shown. In the straight bore I) the lead covering is cast around the conductor, and the tapering bore 1) is provided for chilling purposes and for admitting of more readily drawing the lead-covered conductor through the mold without friction, so as to prevent breaking the continuity of the lead covering. At the top of the mold is preferably provided a lateral slot, 6 which communicates with an overflow pan or chute, b, beneath which are located gas or other burners, D, for heating the upper part of the mold to maintain the lead supplied thereto in a fused condition.

The upper end of the mold is preferably covered by a sleeve, b which is an enlargement of the guide E, as plainly shown in Fig. 2, and this is provided to prevent exposure of the conductor to the external air after it onters guide E, and for correspondingl y protecting the fused lead supplied to the mold. This cover or sleeve b lalso admits of an air-chainber between the top of the mold and guide E, which chamber contains highly-heated air under pressure due to the heat of the burners and to the evaporation of the moisture from the insulation 011 the conductor in passing through the chamber. This pressure in said chamber in a measure effects a pressing effect upon the.

lead in the mold and assists in the formation of casting thclead cover upon the conductor. Upon the mold B is a cylinder or waterjacket, G, which slides up and down on the mold, and has suitable end stuffing-boxes, g, and operating-lever g.

If desired, waste or other suitable material may be wrapped'around the mold inside of jacket G, as indicated at to prevent too sudden chilling of mold B. The jacketGhas at or near its top a supply-pipe, provided witha valve,g*, and at or near itsbottom an exit or overflow pipe, 9 tank 9' or other source of supply.

The melting-pot O has a spout or pipe, 0, provided with a suitable cock, 0, and leads to the mold, as indicated in Fig. 1 or in Fig. 2,

in Fig. 2, and consists of a pipe having at its The pipe 9 maylead to 7 Upon frame A is suitably mounted a reel, H, having actuating mechanism h.

The operation is as'follows The conductor :10 is suitably prepared and passed through guide E and the mold and attached to the reel H, the water-supply for jackets e and G having previously been turned on and the burners D lighted to fuse the lead in pot (J and heat the upper part of mold B. The cock 0 is then turned to admit the molten metal to the die or its chamfered end I) and straight section b. The metal flows around the conductor and immediately becomes more or less chilled, and as the conductor is gradually wound upon reel H it is gradually drawn through the die and in its passage is enveloped by a seamless continuous lead cover. As the cover is formed in the straight bore b of the mold, it is not subject to friction as it is drawn through the tapered section b of the mold hence the drawing or feeding of the conductor is easily and smoothly accomplished and the continuity of the covering is maintained.

If the upper part of the mold gets too hot, the jacket G is raised more or less so that its water-supply will gradually lower the temperature of the mold, and if it is not hot enough the jacket G is lowered.

The slit 0 in the upper part of the mold is very narrow, or its area is so proportioned that the lead will runinto the mold faster than it will run out of said slit, and it is provided to carry off the dross or other impurities in the lead. 7

It will be observed that the casting of the lead cover around the conductor depends upon the flow of metal to the mold and in it, and not to mechanical or other pressure devices; and as it is obvious that the details of construction may be greatly varied to practice my invention I do not limit myself to the forms shown. Thus, for instance, if thejacket G slides, as shown in Fig. 2, its inlet and outlet pipes are flexible, or have a flexible section. If fixed, as shown in Fig. 1, the pipes are rigid.

What I claim is 1. In a lead-covering machine for electric conductors, the combination of a die or mold,

devices for feeding the conductor through the mold, and a flow of metal to the mold, whereby a seamless lead covering is formed on the conductor, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a hollow mold, a meltingpot having a pipe or spout leading to the mold, devices for feeding the conductor through the mold, and heating devices for said pot and mold, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for lead-c0vering electric conductors, the combination of a die or mold, B, having a cooling'jacket, G, and actuating devices for raising or lowering said jacket, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of hollow die or mold B, the slidingjacket G, having inlet and outlet pipes, and suitable end stuffingboxes, substautiall y as set forth.

5. The combination of hollow die or mold B, slidingjacket having inlet and outlet pipes, and actuating devices, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of hollow die or mold B, jacket G on said die, having inlet and outlet pipes, and devices for feeding an electric conductor or wire through the die, substantially as set forth.

7. In a seamless lead-covering machine, the combination of a guide, E, having a jacket provided with an upward flow of water, and a die or mold, B, having jacket G, provided with a downward flow of water, substantially as set forth.

8. The die B, having slit 1), straight bore 1), and tapering bore b, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination of adie having awatcrjacket, a guide, E, having a likejacket, burn ers for the die, and actuating devices for drawing a conductor or wire through the guide and mold, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 1

GEORGE L. KITSON.

\Vitnesses:

S. J. VAN STAVOREN, Grms. F. VAN HORN. 

